My Boyfriend is a Dead Roman Hero | Jason Grace

I Fall Out Of the Sky

It takes about 20 minutes for Annabeth to get too worried to stay behind. With Juliette in too weakened a state to risk entering the palace with them, Annabeth and Rachel agree to tail Percy themselves, leaving Nico to guard Julie beside the entrance to the palace. Neither of the younger demigods are pleased with this decision.

Watching red and gold disappear beyond the exit of the Labyrinth, Juliette sighs in frustration. Her legs are shaking too much to stand. She leans heavily on the threshold.

"You okay?" Nico asks from beside her.

Julie's eyebrows go up in surprise. He actually looks a little concerned. She must look terrible. "Yeah," She rasps. "Just out of juice." She leans her head back against the tunnel wall and slides into a sitting position.

Her hair is tangled. Yuck. She fights with it for a bit, eventually giving up and tying it into a knotted ponytail at the back of her head. She'll have to steal some of Ellie's detangler when she gets back to camp. And insist on adding hairbrushes to the medical go-bags from now on.

Nico hovers in front of her for a moment, his eyes a little lost and anxious. Then, he leans forward a bit and offers his half empty water bottle to her. "Here."

A smile spreads across Julie's face, and he rolls his eyes, dropping the bottle on her carelessly. She fumbles as she tries to catch it. Nico peers down at her while she drinks, fidgeting with the skull ring on his hand. Julie lowers the bottle and tilts her head in concern.

"You okay?" She echoes his question. Nico frowns at her. There's a thoughtful gleam in his eye. Like she's a strangely shaped jigsaw puzzle he can't quite figure out what to make of.

"You went to the Underworld with me."

Julie blinks. He sounds almost accusatory, "Yeah? You said we'd be safe there. We were."

Something flickers across his face. He continues to study her. Whatever he'd have replied with gets cut off by the unmistakable sound of a very angry, very quickly approaching army of monsters. Julie leaps to her feet. Nico unsheathes his sword and pulls her behind him as they face the threshold.

Annabeth, Rachel, and Percy are sprinting toward the Labyrinth at max speed. A wise decision considering the hoard of telekhines on their heels. Nico groans.

"He was invisible! How did he get caught?"

"AFTER THEM!" A deep, drawling voice booms so loudly the ground tremors. Julie gasps, and Nico pales. He sheathes his sword and glances back at her.

"Get ready to run." He orders. Julie nods weakly.

The moment their friends speed past the doorway, Nico claps his hands together. A jagged spire of rock the size of an eighteen-wheeler erupts from the ground in front of the fortress, blocking off the entrance behind them. Dust blows everywhere and the monsters on the other side let out startled squeals.

Julie turns on her heel, and she and Nico sprint after their friends down the corridor.

They run for so long, colorful shapes are swimming in Juliette's vision by the time they slow to a stop.

"I can't go any further," Rachel gasps out, doubling over. Julie nods her agreement. She lowers herself back to the floor, splaying out like a starfish on the dusty ground. She feels Nico and Percy plop down on either side of her.

"What happened?" She wheezes. Annabeth lets out a choked sob. Percy sighs heavily and explains about Ethan Nakamura and the time slowing magic. By the end of his tale, Annabeth is huddled and crying into her knees. Her anguish makes Julie's fingers and toes feel tingly.